Giving Birth in China, What Should You Do?

Giving birth as a foreigner in China should not be too complicated. If you are using public healthcare insurance, most of the maternity expenses should be covered by the government. If you are using private insurance, make sure your plan includes maternity care.

The price of giving birth in China varies greatly. The fees will not only depend on the care you choose and the delivery type (natural or C-Section), but also the region you’re in, the hospital of your choosing, and even the ward you wish to stay in. 

The average costs of giving birth in public hospitals in China range from about 2,000 to 10,000 CNY. The private clinics will charge you way more than that; you can expect to pay around 50,000 CNY on average, but don’t be surprised if the bill exceeds 100,000 CNY.

How Do Public Hospitals Work?

Some expat women may decide to give birth at a public Chinese hospital, especially those without private health insurance. 

Your prenatal health check-ups will be scheduled at regular intervals: first every month, then bi-weekly, and weekly for about the last month. At week 20, you will get an ultrasound exam, and you’ll be able to see your child’s heartbeat for the first time.

However, always make sure to find out what exactly the doctor is checking at these exams. In many cases, you may have to request extra lab work to get your blood or urine tested, for which you will have to pay an additional fee.

The closer your date for giving birth in China is, the better you should prepare yourself for what awaits you at delivery. If you are giving birth in China, you might have to cope with some additional challenges.

The language barrier will be just one of the obstacles to overcome. Moreover, cultural attitudes with regard to pain management during delivery, birthing methods, the doctor-patient relationship, and the role of spouses may differ widely from your home country.

Choose a Private Maternity Clinic Instead?

If you decide on giving birth in China and have enough funds to cover a fancier option, China’s private maternity hospitals are the way to go. Not only do these Chinese clinics have English-speaking medical staff, but at times, they may also feel like a hotel or wellness spa rather than a hospital. However, keep in mind that all these benefits of giving birth there come at a very hefty price.

After Giving Birth

After giving birth, you have to take care of various administrative issues. If the baby is born at a public hospital, make sure to sign it up for the official immunization schedule, so that your child gets all necessary vaccinations for infants.

Moreover, check as soon as you can if the hospital issues the Chinese birth certificate for your child. If it doesn’t, ask the staff how and where to get the official certificate. Then get in touch with your embassy to find out how to officially register the birth of your child there.

Decision over Citizenship

If the parents wish for their child to have Chinese citizenship, at least one of them must be Chinese or they both must have settled in China and be of “uncertain nationality”. Being a permanent resident in China will not grant your newborn Chinese citizenship.

If you want for your child to receive your nationality that is other than Chinese, you will have to take care of some extra paperwork. You will need a non-Chinese birth certificate as well as a passport and a Chinese exit visa for your kid, so you can leave China without further trouble. Your embassy or consulate will issue the passport, so you can then get the visa from the local immigration authorities.

If one parent is a Chinese citizen, there may be further complications. China doesn’t recognize dual citizenship, but every child born in China to a Chinese parent is automatically a Chinese national. That is why you might need to officially reject your child’s Chinese citizenship first. 

After that, you can get their foreign passport. In such cases, please get in touch with the embassy responsible for the non-Chinese parent in advance and ask for legal advice.

Longer Maternity Leave

According to the national regulations, mothers are entitled to 98-day maternity leave. 

According to revised regulations on population and family planning, mothers in Beijing and Shanghai are expected to be granted an extra 30 days of maternity leave. Provincial regions are able to set their own parental leave standards.

Fathers in Beijing will be entitled to 15 days of paternity leave. Parents will be entitled to 5 days of parental leave every year while the child is under the age of 3. 

In Shanghai, the amended regulations clarify that one couple can have 3 children. They will be granted an extra 30 days of maternity leave.

Mothers in Northwest China's Qinghai Province will be entitled to 188 days of maternity leave. Couples can have marriage leave for 15 days.

Source: InterNations, Global Times

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